In January, Daley had to turn down an offer to return as the Toronto Argonauts’ special-teams co-ordinator for personal and health reasons. Two months later, Daley has received a clean bill of health following some heart trouble and although he still doesn’t have a coaching position for 2015, he’s anxious to return to the sidelines.

“If the players I coached in Hamilton and Toronto thought I was wired before, they haven’t see the new me yet,” Daley said with a chuckle recently in a telephone interview from his off-season home in Calgary. “I am raring to go.”

The 63-year-old Ottawa native, who served as Hamilton’s special-teams co-ordinator in 2012, said Toronto head coach Scott Milanovich’s offer came at a time when he was having issues with his heart. Although Daley wanted to return, he couldn’t make the commitment in January and understands Milanovich ultimately hiring Scott Downing as the club’s special-teams coach.

“When I got the offer from Scott to return, I was unable to make a commitment for personal and health reasons,” Daley said. “Those reasons have now been addressed but the timing wasn’t good because now everybody has filled their jobs.

“But I had to take care of those issues first. I loved it in Toronto but I wasn’t going to be unfair to them. I am high energy and full motor … I want to be able to do that job with the intensity I feel it needs. I want to do it that way.”

Daley has spent 38 years coaching football and has spent time as a head coach, defensive and offensive co-ordinator as well as special-teams co-ordinator in both the Canadian university and pro ranks. The former Ottawa Gee Gees head coach has worked in the CFL since ’91 as a coach as well as the league’s senior adviser of football operations and officiating.

Daley served as CFL head coach with Winnipeg (2004-05) and Saskatchewan (96-98), guiding the Riders to the ’97 Grey Cup game. Daley earned a championship ring in ’01 as a member of Calgary’s coaching staff.

As Daley waits for the phone to ring, he’s revamping his special-teams playbook.

“I’m going to coach for many more years,” he said. “I’ve coached on all three sides of the ball so if a (CFL) job opened that I was a fit for, I’d be very interested in it.

“Sometimes CIS coaches bring guys in just for the season so that might even be of interest … whether it’s this year or next, I am coaching.”

And that’s in large part, Daley said, because of his two previous stints with Hamilton (2012) and Toronto (last year).

“My last two years of coaching in Hamilton and Toronto have rejuvenated me as a coach,” Daley said. “When you work with guys like (returner) Chris Williams and (linebacker) Marc Beswick in Hamilton and (returner) Chad Owens, (linebacker) James Yurichuk and (kicker-punter) Swayze Waters in Toronto, I really, really loved it.

“In both situations we had the (special-teams) player of the year in Chris Williams (2012) and Swayze Waters (2014). I’m like a 30-year-old again.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/rejuvenated-daley-has-no-intention-to-stop-coaching/feed0Toronto Argonauts v Saskatchewan RoughridersthecanadianpressKey Argos personnel all in final year of their contractshttp://o.canada.com/sports/key-argos-personnel-all-in-final-year-of-their-contracts
http://o.canada.com/sports/key-argos-personnel-all-in-final-year-of-their-contracts#commentsFri, 20 Mar 2015 22:34:33 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=598917&preview_id=598917]]>TORONTO — The uncertainty created by the Toronto Argonauts’ stadium and ownership issues has spilled over into their football operations.

With questions surrounding where Toronto will play after its Rogers Centre lease expires in 2017 and when owner David Braley might sell the storied franchise, the Argos face opening the 2015 season with a lame-duck general manager, head coach and starting quarterback. GM Jim Barker, head coach Scott Milanovich and veteran starter Ricky Ray are all in the final year of their contracts and CEO Chris Rudge said new deals might not come until after campaign begins.

Another key Argo in the final year of his contract is star receiver/kick-returner Chad Owens.

Usually, CFL teams re-sign their key front-office executives, coaches and players in the off-season to promote continuity and prevent distracting talk regarding their future during the season. But much of the off-season chatter in Toronto has centred on owner Braley’s negotiations with Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment to have the Argos play at BMO Field.

Braley, 73, also owns the B.C. Lions and the Hamilton businessman plans to sell one or both clubs by his 75th birthday. MLSE has been mentioned as a potential suitor for the Argos but Braley has said his top priority is securing a new stadium lease before talking turkey on a potential sale.

Rudge said the delay in giving Barker, Milanovich and Ray extensions isn’t a sign of the club’s dissatisfaction rather the result of its off-field situation.

“I couldn’t put a time frame on it right now, it’s a unique situation given what’s going on around the team,” Rudge said at the Argos first off-season media gathering Friday. “The other things going on are clearly delaying the process to some degree.”

Rudge said talks with all three continue but no formal offers are on the table. Rudge was clear he’d like the club to re-sign the trio but added that decision lies with Braley.

“Everything ultimately is Mr. Braley’s decision so long as he’s the owner,” Rudge said. “What I can say is based on the hat I’m wearing and from my personal perspective, there isn’t another general manager, head coach or quarterback that I’d like to see on our team as leaders in those positions.

“I talk to Jim about this on a regular basis, he knows where I stand on it. I’ve shared my thoughts with Mr. Braley.”

After winning the 100th Grey Cup in ’12 and reaching the ’13 East final, the Argos missed the CFL playoffs last year. Barker said a successful 2015 campaign would make talk about the trio’s future moot.

“In a perfect world we win Grey Cups and everybody is under contract for years to come,” Barker said. “But we’re not in a perfect world so you deal with it.

“The bottom line is we’re in a win business. If we win. Scott, myself and Ricky will all be fine. That’s the way it is.”

Ray, 35, is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery. Barker said Ray’s ahead of schedule in his weightlifting but the club won’t know his full progress until late next month.

But there’s definite fallout for a club with questions regarding the future of its GM, head coach and biggest star. The uncertainty makes it hard to attract free agents or top-notch coaching prospects.

“It’s really no different for any of us, we’re commodities and we get that,” Barker said. “We can be fired anytime but by the same token, people want to win and you’ve got to have good people.”

Barker downplayed suggestions the uncertainty surrounding himself, Milanovich and Ray would be distracting this season. He said that issue pales in comparison to the challenges Toronto faced last year practising at multiple sites before a permanent facility at Downsview Park was completed.

“It’s all about routine and when you’re practising in Mississauga one day and somewhere else the other it’s just hard to get into a routine,” Barker said. “You’re thinking about things other than winning.

“We’re focused on learning from last year and being able to put that knowledge forward into a quality year.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/key-argos-personnel-all-in-final-year-of-their-contracts/feed0Ricky RaythecanadianpressCBC executive Jeffrey Orridge succeeds Mark Cohon as CFL commissionerhttp://o.canada.com/sports/cbc-executive-jeffrey-orridge-succeeds-mark-cohon-as-cfl-commissioner
http://o.canada.com/sports/cbc-executive-jeffrey-orridge-succeeds-mark-cohon-as-cfl-commissioner#commentsTue, 17 Mar 2015 19:05:04 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=598196&preview_id=598196]]>TORONTO — The league that blazed the trail for black quarterbacks in pro football now has its first black commissioner.

Longtime sports executive Jeffrey Orridge will take over the CFL’s top job next month. He succeeds Mark Cohon, who stepped down in January after eight years on the job.

Orridge leaves his position as executive director of sports and general manager of Olympics at CBC to take the CFL helm, becoming the first black commissioner among North America’s top five pro sports organizations — the CFL, NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball.

“I’m fully cognizant of that and fully embrace it,” Orridge said Tuesday after being introduced at a downtown hotel. “I’m very proud of where I’ve come from, my background, my heritage … it’s a remarkable thing that we’ve come this far, but it’s really been on the shoulders of everybody else who’s come before me.

“I don’t think myself as a black sports executive, I don’t consider myself the black commissioner. I consider myself the 13th commissioner of the CFL with an obligation and responsibility to carry on and build on my 12 predecessors and all their work.”

Growing up, the 54-year-old New York native fondly remembers his father praising the CFL for allowing Warren Moon to play quarterback when no NFL team would. Moon starred with the Edmonton Eskimos from 1978-83 before heading south and earning nine Pro Bowl nominations over 17 seasons with Houston, Minnesota, Seattle and Kansas City.

“My father and I when I was growing up were watching a CFL game and he said to me, ‘This is why I love Canada, Jeffrey,’ ” Orridge said. “I didn’t quite understand and he pointed to Warren Moon and said, ‘If you’re qualified, if you’re capable, if you deserve it you will get an opportunity in Canada and Canada is truly the land of opportunity.’

“That’s why the CFL has always held a special place in my heart. It represented to me what Canada was all about. It was about opportunity and access and fairness.”

Orridge and his family have lived in Canada since 2007. He’s about to become a Canadian citizen.

The Harvard Law School graduate, who has attended the last three Grey Cups, assumes his new post April 29. Terms of his deal weren’t released.

He’ll take over a stable league with a new lucrative television deal and collective bargaining agreement with its players in place through 2018. But questions still remain about the Toronto Argonauts, who’ve yet to secure a new home with Rogers Centre lease expiring after the 2017 season. Owner David Braley and Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment continue to talk about the Argos playing at BMO Field.

“This city is vitally important to the health of the league, it is a priority,” said Orridge. “Obviously, it’s been discussed for some time and discussions are ongoing but certainly that’s going to be one of the lynchpins, I think, in insuring that this league continues to grow and prosper.”

Orridge also faces the challenge of making the league game more relevant to young people.

“We need to move the needle, we need to reach out to that next generation,” said CFL board chairman Jim Lawson, who headed up the commissioner search committee. “Leadership, media, growing revenue, these are all things that hit right in Jeffrey’s sweet spot.

“We’re in a great place today and we’re going to be in a better place as a result of Jeffrey’s tenure”

As part of his role at CBC, Orridge oversaw rights acquisitions, including the Olympics and the upcoming Pan Am Games. He also structured the multi-year sub-licensing agreement with Rogers for Hockey Night in Canada. Prior to CBC, Orridge was chief operating officer at the Right To Play charity. He’s also worked at Mattel Inc., Reebok and USA Basketball.

“Mark Cohon did a great job for the league,” said Calgary Stampeders president Gordon Norrie. “From what I hear from Jeff, he’s going to be the guy that takes us to the next level.

“He’s very well educated. He’s got a lot of sports experience.”

Orridge said he understands it’s a competitive business and that being “more innovative” will be crucial.

First on his priority list will be connecting with CFL fans, something that made the approachable Cohon popular among the league’s supporters.

“I’m going to make it one of my goals in the first 90 days of my tenure to visit every stadium, every partner, every environment where the CFL is,” Orridge said. “I’d say within the first nine weeks, I’ll certainly be in nine different cities.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/cbc-executive-jeffrey-orridge-succeeds-mark-cohon-as-cfl-commissioner/feed0Jeffrey OrridgethecanadianpressOwners of Winnipeg CFL stadium sue architect over repairshttp://o.canada.com/sports/owners-of-winnipeg-cfl-stadium-sue-architect-over-repairs
http://o.canada.com/sports/owners-of-winnipeg-cfl-stadium-sue-architect-over-repairs#commentsWed, 04 Mar 2015 18:27:23 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595711&preview_id=595711]]>WINNIPEG — The owners of the stadium where the Winnipeg Blue Bombers play have filed a lawsuit that maintains the architect and builder should be made to pay for extensive repairs.

Triple B Stadium alleges that the repairs were necessary due to faulty design and construction by Raymond S.C. Wan Architect and Stuart Olson Construction.

The $200-million stadium opened in 2013 and is to be the site for this fall’s Canadian Football League Grey Cup game.

It has been plagued by problems such as leaky luxury suite roofs, insufficient insulation to keep plumbing operational in winter and poor drainage.

It also needed immediate renovations to make it usable for concerts and its press box was unheated.

Stuart Olson says it does not comment on matters involving litigation.

Wade Miller, president of the Winnipeg Football Club, says in a statement that his organization fully supports the legal action.

Triple B Stadium includes a report from a Winnipeg architectural and engineering firm in its statement of claim filed Wednesday.

“During the design and construction of the stadium, there was insufficient attention to the mechanics of water drainage and heating, there was poor execution of critical details and poor construction quality control,” Triple B quotes from the report in a news release.

The statement of claim lists five pages of defects and deficiencies.

Triple B is a consortium that includes representatives from the Manitoba government, the City of Winnipeg, the University of Manitoba and the Winnipeg Football Club, which owns the Bombers and runs the stadium.

“While we are extremely disappointed that we have had to deal with continuous and ongoing issues since we became the primary tenant in 2013, we believe today is an important step forward in attempting to have them resolved,” Miller said.

Triple B Stadium chair Andrew Konowalchuk told CJOB Radio in Winnipeg that it’s unclear how much it will cost for all the remediation work.

“Triple B and the Winnipeg Football Club spent $4.7 million worth of remedial work that either has been complete or is underway currently,” he said. “Further testing is required to get a true value of

Konowalchuk said the building is safe, but the problems need to be fixed to prevent more issues in the future.

A statement of claim contains allegations that have not been proven in court.

The Stampeders announced the deal Tuesday, which is also Mitchell’s 25th birthday.

Mitchell’s first season as Calgary’s starter was a solid one. He completed 264 of 417 passes (63.3 per cent) for 3,389 yards with 22 TDs and eight interceptions.

He also rushed for 232 rushing yards and four touchdowns in posting a 13-2 record as the starter. Mitchell, a native of Katy, Tex., capped his season by leading Calgary past Hamilton 20-16 in the Grey Cup game, taking home MVP honours after completing 25 of 34 passes for 334 yards with an interception.

“Bo Levi has set the bar very high for himself after his performance last season but with his ability and determination,” Stampeders coach and general manager John Hufnagel said in a statement. “I believe he has room to grow and improve even more.

The six-foot-three 230-pound LeFevour spent the last three seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, completing 141 of 211 passes (66.8 per cent) for 1,670 yards with five touchdowns. The 27-year-old also ran for 631 rushing yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry.

Last season, LeFevour completed 101 of 149 passes for 1,276 yards and four TDs before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

Dan LeFevour was selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft in 2010 by the Chicago Bears after a stellar career at Central Michigan. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

“We are excited to add Dan to our mix of quarterbacks,” Montreal GM Jim Popp said in a statement. “He has continued to grow and build off his outstanding collegiate career.

LeFevour enjoyed a stellar career at Central Michigan, passing for 12,905 yards with 102 TDs. He also ran for 2,948 yards while scoring 47 touchdowns.

The Chicago Bears selected LeFevour in the sixth round, No. 181 overall, of the 2010 NFL draft. He also played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars before joining the Ticats.

The six-foot-six, 316-pound Mitchell is entering his sixth CFL season. He spent four years with the B.C. Lions — helping them win the 2011 Grey Cup — and played with the Toronto Argonauts in 2013.

Mitchell, 29, has registered 14 sacks in 61 career CFL games, being named a league all-star in 2011 and 2013.

“Khalif will bring a presence to our interior line that we haven’t had since the days of Adriano Belli and Doug Petersen,” Alouettes GM Jim Popp said in a statement. “Combine his brute strength and overwhelming size with our current players and we feel it will strengthen one of the better defensive line combinations in the CFL.”

Montreal also signed defensive end Kris Redding to a two-year contract. The six-foot-four, 274-pound Redding spent time with the NFL’s Detroit Lions and Brooklyn Bolts of the Fall Experimental Football League (FEFL).

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/montreal-alouettes-sign-veteran-dt-khalif-mitchell-to-three-year-deal/feed0PNG0923S-CFL-0211thecanadianpressToronto Argonauts to play 2015 CFL home opener in Fort McMurrayhttp://o.canada.com/sports/toronto-argonauts-to-play-2015-cfl-home-opener-in-fort-mcmurray
http://o.canada.com/sports/toronto-argonauts-to-play-2015-cfl-home-opener-in-fort-mcmurray#commentsFri, 13 Feb 2015 19:22:38 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=591453&preview_id=591453]]>TORONTO — The Argonauts are listed as the host team, but they will be almost 2,600 kilometres from Toronto when they open their 2015 CFL season — and it will be well into August before they finally return to Rogers Centre.

The CFL released its 2015 schedule on Friday, and what was expected to be a messy timetable because of the Pan American Games and the FIFA Women’s World Cup still delivered some surprises.

The Eskimos are getting kicked out of Commonwealth Stadium because of a pair of World Cup quarter-final matches and won’t have to travel far to face the Argonauts. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

Several CFL clubs are impacted, but none more so than the Argos, who burn a home date hosting the Edmonton Eskimos at Shell Place in Fort McMurray, Alta., in the season opener for both teams on June 27.

The Eskimos need to vacate Commonwealth Stadium that day because of a pair of World Cup quarter-final matches, but the situation is not nearly as dire for Edmonton, which doesn’t lose a home date and gets to play an away game close to home.

“It’s not an ideal situation obviously,” Argonauts executive chairman and chief executive officer Chris Rudge said. “It’s not ideal for our fans, it’s not ideal for our football team in terms of it being our home game in Edmonton’s backyard. So let’s not kid ourselves, it’s not what we would have chosen to do under normal circumstances.”

After the Argos play their opener in what is sure to be a hostile environment, they play four more games on the road as southern Ontario hosts the Pan Am Games before finally returning home to host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Aug. 8.

“This is not the best situation for our fans, let’s not candy-coat it.,”

Rudge said the Argos were hoping for a more balanced schedule, but the list of available dates provided by Rogers forced the team to bunch up its home games in the second half of the season.

“We couldn’t get in there until Aug. 8, and then we had six weeks in a row in October and November. And so, when you look at that, and we discussed it with the league, that’s not an ideal situation,” Rudge said. “I mean we’ve got lots of weekend games in there, but you would like to have a more balanced schedule. We do recognize the Rogers facility is in great demand for any number of activities, not just baseball, and we had to work around the 10 dates we were given.”

The Argos play five of their last six games at home. Rudge said the team gave up one of the home dates offered late in the season to avoid being bumped if the Toronto Blue Jays, the primary tenant at Rogers Centre, make the baseball post-season.

The 2015 schedule is the latest hurdle for the Argos. The CFL team’s lease at Rogers Centre expires after the 2017 season and won’t be renewed, and owner David Braley has been actively trying to sell the club.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats must play their first four games this season on the road because of the Pan Am Games. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Rudge is hopeful schedule relief will come in the future if the Argos can move into BMO Field, home of Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC.

“This is not the best situation for our fans, let’s not candy-coat it,” Rudge said. “I know Mr. Braley and others are having conversations, and we hope something will happen in the not-too-distant future that will see us affect a lease with (Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment) to play in BMO Field. If that happens, that’s probably the biggest piece of good news our fans could get.”

The July 10-26 Pan Am Games also affected Hamilton, which opens its season against the Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders and plays its first four games on the road before coming home to Tim Hortons Field to host the Argos on Aug. 3.

The regular season kicks off with the Ottawa Redblacks visiting the Montreal Alouettes on June 25 — the first of 10 regular-season Thursday night games during the summer months.

Winnipeg opens its season in Regina against rival Saskatchewan, while the B.C. Lions have a Week 1 bye before opening in Ottawa.

The 2015 season culminates with the 103rd Grey Cup on Nov. 29 at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg.

The Ottawa Redblacks announced Wednesday that Sinopoli, who played collegiately at the University of Ottawa, had signed with the CFL club as a free agent. Also joining the second-year franchise are receiver Greg Ellingson and offensive lineman SirVincent Rogers.

The six-foot-four, 215-pound Sinopoli had 20 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games with the Grey Cup-champion Calgary Stampeders. The 24-year-old native of Peterborough, Ont., played quarterback at the University of Ottawa and in 2010 captured the Hec Crighton Trophy as Canadian university football’s outstanding player.

Calgary took Sinopoli in the fourth round, 29th overall, in the 2011 CFL draft. He served as the No. 3 quarterback with the club in 2011 and 2012 before being converted to receiver.

Ellingson, 26, a six-foot-three, 197-pound Florida native, had 84 catches for 1,229 yards and six TDs over two seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats while Rogers, 28, of Jasper, Tex., spent the last two campaigns with the Toronto Argonauts. In 2012, Rogers played offensive lineman and tight end for the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League, catching five passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns, helping his team win the Arena Bowl championship.

The veteran running back signed a one-year deal with the Argos on Wednesday, a day after he became a free agent.

“Curtis is a versatile athlete who understands the game and has developed into an important part of our team and our locker room,” Argos GM Jim Barker said in a statement. “He was voted a special-teams captain by his teammates, which is rare for an international player in our league, and he has been a consistent contributor to our backfield. We are happy to keep him in Toronto.”

Steele appeared in 16 regular-season games last year and was Toronto’s second-leading rusher with 541 on 87 carries (6.2-yard average) and also ran for four touchdowns. He added 35 catches for 309 yards and a TD while returning nine kickoffs for 219 yards.

Steele is entering his third season with Toronto, having rushed for 728 yards and seven TDs as well as registering 48 catches for 375 yards and one touchdown over that span.

Hurl had the distinction of becoming the first CFL free agent to come to terms Tuesday, doing so just over 90 minutes after becoming a free agent.

Shortly afterwards, the Bombers announced the addition of Adams. The six-foot-two, 182-pound receiver had 18 catches for 237 yards and a TD last season with the Toronto Argonauts.

Adams spent two years in Toronto, recording 21 receptions for 261 yards with two TDs.

The six-foot-four, 300-pound Dile spent the last three seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Florida native was a starter with the CFL club in ’12 but has had injury woes since.

Bryant, 28, joins the Bombers after five seasons with the Calgary Stampeders. The six-foot-five, 313-pound native of Goldsboro, N.C., played both tackle positions during his time with the Stampeders and twice was their nominee for the league’s outstanding lineman award.

Improving an offensive line that allowed a league-high 71 sacks was a priority this off-season for Winnipeg (7-11), which finished last in the West Division.

Elimimian made CFL history in 2014, registering a league-record 143 tackles then becoming the first full-time defensive player to capture its outstanding player award. He was also named the most outstanding defensive player.

“I’ve never been more proud to be a Lion and I am very happy to be part of this organization moving forward,” Elimimian said in a statement. “I want nothing more than to put on that orange jersey and help win championships for our fans.

Adam Bighill, right, enters his fifth season with B.C., having recorded 280 tackles, 24 sacks, 62 special-teams tackles, six forced fumbled and six interceptions in 63 regular-season appearances. (Jonathan Hayward/CP)

“It’s also very special to be doing this with Adam. Playing alongside him is like playing beside your brother and it means the world to me that we are able to do this extension together.”

Elimimian, heading into his sixth season with the Lions, has registered 430 total tackles, leaving him third in club history.

“When you can secure two of our league’s best defensive players with long-term contracts, it’s a very special day,” Lions’ vice-president of football operations and GM Wally Buono said. “Solomon and Adam are impact players who not only make our defence extremely difficult to play against, they also bring the kind of leadership needed to form the foundation of a championship team.”

Bighill enters his fifth season with B.C., having recorded 280 tackles, 24 sacks, 62 special-teams tackles, six forced fumbled and six interceptions in 63 regular-season appearances.

“I’m thrilled to sign this extension and know that I am a Lion through 2017,” said Bighill. “Playing football in B.C. with the core group we have here means you have an opportunity to win a Grey Cup every season and that’s our ultimate goal.

The deal came hours before Tisdale was scheduled to become a free agent.

The six-foot-one, 185-pound Tisdale had five interceptions, 39 tackles and a sack last season with Montreal. The year before, he had a CFL-high seven interceptions.

“Geoff has been one of the top corners in the CFL over the last two seasons,” Montreal GM Jim Popp said in a statement. “He has consistently been at the top in leading the CFL in interceptions and has great man skill abilities.

“We look forward to another successful year from Geoff in 2015.”

The seven-year veteran has also played for Hamilton and Calgary during his CFL career.

The Riders signed the Canadian running back to a contract extension Friday. Messam, 29, a Toronto native, was slated to become a free agent Tuesday but had expressed an interest to remain in Saskatchewan.

The six-foot-three, 240-pound Messam joined the Riders as a free agent last July, rushing for 382 yards and a TD on 70 carries. He also added eight catches for 134 yards in 14 regular-season games.

Messam is entering his sixth CFL season and has rushed for 2,264 career yards and 12 TDs. He was named the CFL’s top Canadian in 2011 after running for 1,057 yards and six TDs while with the Edmonton Eskimos.

The five-foot-11 192-pound Rutley was scheduled to become a free agent Feb. 10.

Rutley, 26, spent most of last season on Montreal’s practice roster but was activated for the East Division semifinal, running for 98 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries and adding four catches for 22 yards in the Alouettes’ 50-17 home win over the B.C. Lions.

Montreal Alouettes running back Brandon Rutley, left, stretches across the goal line for a touchdown against the B.C. Lions during the East Division semifinal last November. Photo by Allen McInnis/Postmedia News

Rutley rushed for 52 yards on 11 carries and had three catches for 27 yards in Montreal’s 40-24 road loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the division final.

Montreal also signed international running back Jordan Hall to a three-year deal. The five-foot-nine 191-pound Hall rushed for 1,568 yards and scored 14 TDs during his college career at Ohio State.

Hall also set a single-season school record with 683 kickoff return yards in 2011. He signed as a free agent last year with the Pittsburgh Steelers, playing in the NFL team’s first three exhibition games.

Terms of the deal were not announced Monday, but the 6-foot-5, 205-pound receiver was considered one of the top talents coming out of Canada this year. He is the son of Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter.

With veterans Reggie Wayne and Hakeem Nicks both set to become free agents next month, Indianapolis needed to reinforce its receiving corps.

Adding Carter could help.

He started his college career at Ohio State, then went to a junior college before transferring to Alabama in 2011 and Florida Atlantic in 2012. In two seasons with Montreal in the CFL, Carter had 124 receptions, 1,939 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was selected a CFL all-star in 2014.

The 34-year-old veteran finished third on the Alouettes last season with 65 defensive tackles, including one sack.

Brown also had four knockdowns while contributing to a defensive unit that led the CFL with 47 turnovers.

The former Glenville State University Pioneer also made one interception while returning four fumbles and forcing two more.

“Jerald in an important cog in our defensive system and our team,” Alouettes general manager Jim Popp said in a statement. “Since his arrival seven years ago, he stepped into a starting role and has performed at a high level at one of the more difficult positions in the CFL. He has brought leadership, physicality, and a true professional work ethic on a daily basis.”

Pro football’s all-time passing leader was named an assistant coach with the Alouettes in December, but at that time the club said his official position wouldn’t be determined until after Montreal hired an offensive co-ordinator.

Turk Schonert was eventually named Montreal’s offensive co-ordinator and will also serve as the club’s quarterback coach.

Calvillo retired in January 2014 after a concussion limited him to just seven games in 2013.

Calvillo spent 16 of his 20 CFL seasons with Montreal, leading the Alouettes to three Grey Cup titles while being named the league’s outstanding player three times.

The Riders landed Watson and a 2015 third-round pick for Canadian receiver Kris Bastien, a 2015 second-round selection and the rights to a player on Winnipeg’s negotiation list.

The six-foot-three, 212-pound Watson spent five seasons with Winnipeg after being selected in the second round, ninth overall, in 2010 out of Concordia University. Last year, Watson, 30, a native of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., had 21 catches for 287 yards and three TDs in 12 regular-season games.

Watson has registered 178 career catches for 2,217 yards and six TDs in 67 regular-season contests.

Cory Watson has 2,217 receiving yards in 5 #CFL seasons. His career high is 793 in 2011. He had 287 yards and 3 TDs last year #Riders

The six-foot-three, 205-pound Bastien, a native of St. Lambert, Que., was a 2014 third-round pick by Saskatchewan, also out of Concordia, and spent last season on the Riders’ practice roster. With the trade, Winnipeg also now has three selections in the first 15 picks of this year’s draft.

“We are always looking to continue to grow our Canadian talent base, and being able to move up 11 spots early on in the CFL draft was significant for us,” Winnipeg GM Kyle Walters said in a statement. “Not only were we able to add a high draft pick, but we are very excited about Kris and what he brings.

“Kristopher is a big young man who we feel has great promise in our league.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/saskatchewan-roughriders-acquire-canadian-receiver-cory-watson-from-winnipeg-blue-bombers/feed0Cory Watson, Mike Edem,thecanadianpressCFL, NFL have similar protocol regarding inflation of their footballshttp://o.canada.com/sports/cfl-nfl-have-similar-protocol-regarding-inflation-of-their-footballs
http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl-nfl-have-similar-protocol-regarding-inflation-of-their-footballs#commentsTue, 27 Jan 2015 15:39:31 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=584474&preview_id=584474]]>TORONTO — The NFL and the CFL may have different rules and play different styles of football but they follow a similar protocol when it comes to inflating balls.

It’s a touchy subject in the NFL these days as “Deflategate” continues to rage less than a week before New England and Seattle meet in the Super Bowl. The controversy centres around whether underinflated footballs used by the Patriots in their 45-7 AFC title win over Indianapolis gave them an unfair advantage.

While their size specifications differ slightly, footballs in both leagues must be inflated to between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch and be checked by officials prior to the game.

At least 18 footballs are used per CFL game. The two teams provide six apiece that are stamped with their name and used exclusively by each on offence. These balls must be approved by the referee, who will decide if they meet “new-ball standards.”

The home team also provides at least six new and unmarked balls that both teams will use on kickoffs, punts, convert and field-goal attempts. The home squad must also have a sufficient supply of additional kicking balls available if needed.

In the visitor runs out of offensive balls, it uses kicking footballs for the remainder of the game when on offence.

Both teams present their footballs to the referee at least 90 minutes before kickoff. Additional ones can be provided afterwards but must meet new-ball standards to be used in games.

Once the officials get the footballs, they measure them and check the air using an electronic pressure gauge before approving them for play. When balls are in the officials’ possession, teams can’t access them except for normal, on-field play.

During games, the league has four ball handlers on the sideline and the balls are kept in bags under the control of the sideline staff.

And like the NFL, any CFL team using an illegal football or altering one during a game is subject to fine or suspension.

The six-foot, 190-pound Brackenridge started all 18 regular-season games for the Roughriders last year, registering 64 defensive tackles, ten special teams tackles, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, two sacks and a blocked field goal.

Tyron Brackenridge was eligible to become a free agent in February. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images)

He was named a West Division and CFL All-Star for the second time in his career and second consecutive season.

Saskatchewan signed Brackenridge as a free agent in October 2011 after he was released by the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.

The 30-year-old has recorded 196 defensive tackles, 16 special teams tackles and nine interceptions 59 career regular-season CFL games.

McDaniel missed six games with a hand injury last season but was still Calgary’s leading receiver with 54 catches for 792 yards and four TDs. He added seven catches for 61 yards in the Stampeders’ 20-16 Grey Cup win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

McDaniel was a CFL all-star in 2013 after leading the Stampeders with 76 catches for 1,047 yards and eight TDs.

Marquay McDaniel has appeared in 81 career CFL regular-season games, recording 320 catches for 4,325 yards and 25 TDs. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

“Marquay is a very valuable, consistent and dependable player for our team,” Calgary head coach/GM John Hufnagel said in a statement. “His receiving numbers speak for themselves, but Marquay is an excellent all-round player who contributes to our running game through his blocking and is a quiet leader on and off the field.”

McDaniel began his CFL career with Hamilton in ’09 before joining the Stampeders in 2011. He has appeared in 81 career CFL regular-season games, recording 320 catches for 4,325 yards and 25 TDs.

“Joining the Stampeders in 2011 was a great career move for me and I’m grateful for the opportunity to stay in Calgary,” said McDaniel. “Winning the Grey Cup was a dream come true in 2014 and I believe we have the personnel, skill and determination to be a serious contender for another championship in 2015.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/veteran-receiver-marquay-mcdaniel-signs-extension-with-calgary-stampeders/feed0FBO CFL Grey Cup 201411130thecanadianpressMarquay McDanielCalgary Stampeders’ John Hufnagel named CFL’s coach of the yearhttp://o.canada.com/sports/calgary-stampeders-john-hufnagel-named-cfls-coach-of-the-year
http://o.canada.com/sports/calgary-stampeders-john-hufnagel-named-cfls-coach-of-the-year#commentsWed, 21 Jan 2015 20:11:52 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=581740&preview_id=581740]]>WINNIPEG — The CFL’s best regular-season record and a Grey Cup championship have earned John Hufnagel his second Annis Stukus Trophy.

Hufnagel was named the CFL’s coach of the year Wednesday in voting conducted by the Football Reporters of Canada, receiving 43 of the 65 ballots cast. Tom Higgins of the Montreal Alouettes and Chris Jones of the Edmonton Eskimos were the other finalists.

Hufnagel, 63, guided Calgary to a league-best 15-3 record and the Stampeders capped their season with a 20-16 Grey Cup victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at B.C. Place Stadium.

“I’m honoured and proud to receive this award and I accept it on behalf of everyone in our organization who made it possible,” said Hufnagel. “The award also belongs to our owners, coaches, support staff, players and fans.

John Hufnagel joins Wally Buono (1992-’03) as the only Stampeders coaches to receive the award on multiple occasions. (Derek Leung/Getty Images)

“They all played a major role in our success in 2014 and I thank them all.”

It marks the second time Hufnagel has secured the coach of the year honour, doing so in ’08 when he led Calgary to a CFL title in his first season as its head coach and general manager. He joins Wally Buono (1992-’03) as the only Stampeders coaches to receive the award on multiple occasions.

Besides Buono and Hufnagel, the other Calgary coaches to be presented the Annis Stukus Trophy include Jerry Williams (1967), Jack Gotta (1978) and Higgins (’05).

Higgins, the former CFL director of officiating and a two-time coach of the year winner, led Montreal to a 9-9 record and second spot in the East Division in his first season with the club, an impressive feat considering the Alouettes opened the season 1-7.

Edmonton posted a 12-6 record — second-best in the CFL — under Jones, its first-year head coach, after registering a 4-14 mark in 2013. But the Eskimos couldn’t solve the Stampeders, losing all three regular-season games and the West Division final to their provincial rivals.

Price, 29, spent three seasons with Calgary. The six-foot-one, 205-pound receiver missed two months with a hand injury and finished with 34 catches for 544 yards and two TDs.

“Mo is an explosive player who has exceptional speed and outstanding play-making abilities,” Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell said in a statement. “He’s a CFL veteran who knows the league, knows the game and has a big up-side.

“He has the ability to come in here and make big contributions right away.”

Ottawa posted a league-worst 2-16 record in its first season back in the CFL and struggled mightily on offence. The Redblacks finished last overall in scoring (15.4 points per game), touchdowns (24), time of possession (23 minutes 37 seconds) and rushing yards (82.4).

Simmons finished fourth overall in tackles with a team-high 80 and three interceptions in 2014 and was Ottawa’s nominee for the CFL’s top defensive player and outstanding player awards. The six-foot-one, 223-pound Simmons spent the 2011-’12 seasons with the Toronto Argonauts before joining the Redblacks.

The defensive back signed with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, just two days after being released by the Toronto Argonauts to pursue options south of the border.

Carter, 25, had drawn significant interest this off-season from Minnesota as well as the Denver Broncos.

The six-foot-one, 205-pound Carter joined the Argos in ’12 and appeared in 34 regular-season games, two playoff contests and Toronto’s 35-22 win over Calgary in the 100th Grey Cup game in 2012 at Rogers Centre. He had a career-best five sacks with the club this past year.

Carter signed with the St. Louis Rams in 2011 as an undrafted free agent following his college career at Akron.

Maze spent the last three seasons with the Roughriders. He started 17 regular-season games in 2014 and had 34 defensive tackles, nine pass knockdowns, two tackles for loss, one quarterback sack and one recovered fumble. His lone interception was returned 28 yards for a game-winning touchdown Aug. 7 in Winnipeg.

Williams registered ten receptions for 142 yards and one touchdown and added one rush attempt for 18 yards and a touchdown in four regular-season appearances with the Riders.

He added two receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown in Saskatchewan’s West Division semifinal loss to Edmonton.

The Riders also announced Ron Selesky has joined the Club as an American-based scout.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/roughriders-sign-db-maze-wr-williams-to-contract-extensions/feed0Terrell Maze, Adarius BowmanthecanadianpressHufnagel, Higgins and Jones named finalists for CFL coach of the yearhttp://o.canada.com/sports/hufnagel-higgins-and-jones-named-finalists-for-cfl-coach-of-the-year
http://o.canada.com/sports/hufnagel-higgins-and-jones-named-finalists-for-cfl-coach-of-the-year#commentsWed, 07 Jan 2015 17:40:49 +0000http://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=573561&preview_id=573561]]>TORONTO — John Hufnagel, who guided the Calgary Stampeders to the CFL’s best regular-season record and a Grey Cup title, was named a finalist for the CFL’s coach-of-the-year honour Wednesday.

Tom Higgins of the Montreal Alouettes and Chris Jones of the Edmonton Eskimos are the other finalists. The award winner will receive the Annis Stukus Trophy on Jan. 21 in Winnipeg.

Voting was conducted by 65 members of the Football Reporters of Canada.

Chris Jones is a first-time nominee for the award after leading Edmonton to a 12-6 record and second in the West in his first season as head coach. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images)

Calgary finished atop the West Division with a 15-3 record under Hufnagel, also the club’s general manager. After dispatching Edmonton 43-18 in the conference final, the Stampeders capped their season with a 20-16 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Grey Cup at B.C. Place Stadium.

This marks the fourth time Hufnagel has been nominated for the award. He won it in ’08 after leading Calgary to a Grey Cup crown. He and Wally Buono, currently the B.C. Lions’ general manager and vice-president of football operations, are the only coaches to lead the Stampeders to multiple championships.

Hufnagel improved his CFL coaching record to 88-37-1, moving him into 11th on the league’s all-time list. His career winning percentage of .702 is tops among coaches with at least 100 career appearances on the sidelines.

“I thank the players, coaches and staff of the Stampeders for their contributions to our successful season,” Hufnagel said in a statement. “The Grey Cup championship was a team effort and my nomination for the Annis Stukus Trophy is a reflection of the great people we have throughout our organization on and off the field.

“I also congratulate Tom and Chris for their excellent coaching work and their team’s success during the 2014 season.”

Montreal Alouettes head coach Tom Higgins is a two-time winner of the award — 2003 with Edmonton and two years later with Calgary. (John Mahoney/Postmedia News)

Jones is a first-time award nominee after leading Edmonton to a 12-6 record and second in the West Division in his first season as head coach. After posting a 4-14 record in 2013, the Eskimos recorded the biggest turnaround of any CFL team last season.

Edmonton beat Saskatchewan 18-10 in the West Division semifinal before ending its season with a loss in the conference final against Calgary. Jones is attempting to become the fifth Eskimos coach to win the award, joining Ray Jauch (1970), Hugh Campbell (1979), Ron Lancaster (’96) and Higgins (’03).

Montreal orchestrated an amazing turnaround in Higgins’ first year as head coach. The Alouettes began the season 1-7 but finished by winning eight of their last 10 regular-season contests to finish second in the East Division with a 9-9 record.

Montreal became the first team in CFL history to fall six games below .500 and still finish at that mark or better. After dispatching B.C. 50-17 in the East Division semifinal, the Alouettes lost 40-24 to Hamilton in the conference final.

“Any time you receive this type of nomination, it is a reflection of all the work the team and the organization has put in,” Higgins said in a statement. “I am flattered to be nominated and I accept it on behalf of the entire Alouettes organization.”

Higgins is a two-time recipient of the award, also winning in ’05 with Calgary. He’s looking to become the fifth Montreal coach to earn the honour. The others include Marv Levy (1974), Charlie Taaffe (1999-2000), Don Matthews (2002) and Marc Trestman (’09).

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/hufnagel-higgins-and-jones-named-finalists-for-cfl-coach-of-the-year/feed0FBO CFL Stamps Camp 20130528thecanadianpressREGINA, SK - NOVEMBER 08: Head coach Chris Jones of the Edmonton Eskimos on the sideline in a game between the Edmonton Eskimos and Saskatchewan Roughriders in week 20 of the 2014 CFL season at Mosaic Stadium on November 08, 2014 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images)Montreal Alouettes head coach Tom Higgins says his team is peaking at the right time. (John Mahoney/Postmedia News)B.C. Lions sign veteran fullback Rolly Lumbala to contract extensionhttp://o.canada.com/sports/b-c-lions-sign-veteran-fullback-rolly-lumbala-to-contract-extension
http://o.canada.com/sports/b-c-lions-sign-veteran-fullback-rolly-lumbala-to-contract-extension#commentsTue, 06 Jan 2015 19:18:47 +0000http://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=573012&preview_id=573012]]>VANCOUVER — The B.C. Lions Football Club have signed veteran fullback Rolly Lumbala to a contract extension through the 2016 season.

Lumbala appeared in all 18 regular-season games last season for the Lions. Continuing his role as an effective pass and run blocker, he also totalled a career-high of 125 yards on 14 receptions while contributing eight special teams tackles.

Lumbala was originally selected by the Lions in the second round, ninth overall, at the 2008 CFL draft.

He has appeared in 117 career regular-season games and nine playoff contests, and helped B.C. win the Grey Cup title in 2011.

Lumbala was the Lions’ nominee as Most Outstanding Canadian last season.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/b-c-lions-sign-veteran-fullback-rolly-lumbala-to-contract-extension/feed1bclionsthecanadianpressWinnipeg Blue Bombers sign Canadian offensive lineman Dominic Picardhttp://o.canada.com/sports/winnipeg-blue-bombers-sign-canadian-offensive-lineman-dominic-picard
http://o.canada.com/sports/winnipeg-blue-bombers-sign-canadian-offensive-lineman-dominic-picard#commentsTue, 06 Jan 2015 17:23:45 +0000http://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=572912&preview_id=572912]]>WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed Canadian offensive lineman Dominic Picard to a contract Tuesday shortly after he was released by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The nine-year CFL veteran spent the last three seasons with the Roughriders. He started 17 of 18 games last season and was named the team’s top offensive lineman.

“This is a player with great experience in the CFL,” Blue Bombers general manager Kyle Walters said in a release. “He is a tough, hard-nosed football player and we are excited to bring him into the Bombers organization.”

Picard, a 32-year-old native of Sainte-Foy, Que., has played in 137 career regular season games. He was originally drafted by the Blue Bombers in the third round of the 2006 CFL Draft and spent three seasons in Winnipeg before joining the Toronto Argonauts.

He was an East Division all-star with the Argonauts in 2011.

The Blue Bombers also re-signed defensive back Demond Washington on Tuesday. He was scheduled to become a free agent next month.

Washington had 70 defensive tackles last season along with four special teams tackles, one fumble recovery and one touchdown. He also had nine kickoff returns for 396 yards, including a 96-yard runback for a TD in Week 2.

The Roughriders, meanwhile, also released Canadian linebacker Tristan Black and re-signed Canadian receiver Alex Anthony and Canadian linebacker Ryan Wellman.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/winnipeg-blue-bombers-sign-canadian-offensive-lineman-dominic-picard/feed0ridersmugs100.JPGthecanadianpressChicago Bears fire head coach Marc Trestman after two seasonshttp://o.canada.com/sports/chicago-bears-fire-head-coach-marc-trestman-after-two-seasons
http://o.canada.com/sports/chicago-bears-fire-head-coach-marc-trestman-after-two-seasons#commentsMon, 29 Dec 2014 17:13:43 +0000http://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=569276&preview_id=569276]]>LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears fired coach Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery on Monday, making sweeping changes after missing the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years.

Trestman is out after going 13-19 in two seasons while Emery lasted just three years. The Bears went 5-11 in a mostly miserable season, never challenging for the NFC North lead after the first few weeks as quarterback Jay Cutler and the rest of the offence struggled mightily.

Marc Trestman found couldn’t duplicate the success he enjoyed in the CFL with the Bears. (Photo by Brian Kersey/Getty Images)

“I want to thank Virginia, George and the McCaskey family, Phil Emery and Ted Phillips for giving me the opportunity to be the head coach of the Chicago Bears,” Trestman said in a statement released by the team. “I also want to thank all the coaches and players who gave us everything we asked over the past two years. I have tremendous respect for this organization.”

Trestman found couldn’t duplicate the success he enjoyed in the CFL with the Bears. Trestman was head coach of the Montreal Alouettes for five seasons before joining Chicago. He led the Alouettes to back-to-back Grey Cup titles in 2009 and 2010.

This was certainly not what the Bears envisioned with a prolific offence returning intact and a rebuilt defence in tow. But little went right for Chicago this season.

There were distractions throughout the year, whether it was linebacker Lance Briggs being allowed to miss practice to open a restaurant in California the week of the opener or offensive co-ordinator Aaron Kromer admitting he was the NFL Network’s source behind a critical report of Cutler late in the season.

Trestman, who was hired to get the most out of Cutler, decided the team needed a spark even with the Bears out of contention, so he benched the highly paid quarterback in favour of Jimmy Clausen for the second-to-last game of the season against Detroit. Cutler wound up starting the final game after Clausen suffered a concussion against the Lions, adding another chapter to a season-long soap opera.

Trestman also surprised some by allowing star receiver Brandon Marshall to fly to New York on a weekly basis to record Showtime’s “Inside the NFL.” Marshall, who is open about his struggles with borderline personality disorder, had an off year and at one point gave a rambling news conference over past allegations of domestic abuse. He also challenged a Detroit fan on Twitter to a boxing match for charity, and reporters standing in the hallway overheard him screaming in the locker room after a loss to Miami at Soldier Field in October that raised all sorts of questions about where the team was headed.

The answers came right after that.

Giving Jay Cutler a big contract after last season when the franchise player tag was an option is looking like another miss for GM Phil Emery, (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

The Bears joined the 1923 Rochester Jeffersons as the only teams to give up 50 or more points in back-to-back games while dropping the next two at New England and Green Bay. Trestman’s meek response after defensive end Lamarr Houston suffered a season-ending knee injury celebrating a late sack against the Patriots — “I’m disappointed for Lamarr,” he said twice — only fuelled doubts about his leadership.

In recent weeks, it was clear changes were coming. The question was how far up the ladder they would go.

Emery, who replaced the fired Jerry Angelo, was hired with the mandate that he work with former coach Lovie Smith for at least one season. He fired Smith after the Bears missed the playoffs despite a 10-6 record in 2012, ending a nine-year run that produced three playoff appearances and a trip to the Super Bowl.

Since, then, the team has been in decline.

The decision to hire Trestman, who had never been a head coach in the NFL, backfired. Along with the distractions, there was a huge regression by the offence this season. Chicago went from second in scoring to 21st this year despite having all its starters back, and the fact that the man Trestman beat out for the job, Bruce Arians, is rolling along with the Arizona Cardinals does not make the hiring look any better.

Giving Cutler a big contract after last season when the franchise player tag was an option is looking like another miss for Emery, as is the three-year contract extension Marshall got in May. The trade that brought him from Miami before the 2012 season actually appeared to be a hit his first two years in Chicago as he was reunited with Cutler. But the drama combined with injuries that limited him and ultimately cut short his season changed the perception.

Emery had success rebuilding the offensive line before the 2013 season, drafting Kyle Long and bringing in Jermon Bushrod and Matt Slauson. But the makeover he gave the defence last off-season did not pay off. Chicago continued to rank among the league’s worst in that area under Mel Tucker, with Jared Allen struggling and fellow newcomer Houston getting injured on that ill-advised sack celebration. Only the Saints and Falcons gave up more yards per game than the Bears.

Just like his predecessor, Emery also has a spotty draft record.

He connected with Long, a two-time Pro Bowl pick, and receiver Alshon Jeffery. Cornerback Kyle Fuller has showed some promise as a rookie this year, but Shea McClellin is looking like a bust after three seasons.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/chicago-bears-fire-head-coach-marc-trestman-after-two-seasons/feed0New-Orleans-Saints-v-Chicago-Bears.jpgthecanadianpressFILE - DECEMBER 29: It has been reported that the Chicago Bears have fired both general manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman after a 5-11 season. CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 15: Head coach Marc Trestman of the Chicago Bears on the sidelines during the second quarter of a game against the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field on December 15, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Brian Kersey/Getty Images)MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 28: Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears speaks to the media after the game against the Minnesota Vikings on December 28, 2014 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defeated the Bears 13-9. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 28: Corey Wootton #99 of the Minnesota Vikings sacks Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter on December 28, 2014 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)Hamilton Tiger-Cats sign DE Eric Norwood to extension through 2016 seasonhttp://o.canada.com/sports/hamilton-tiger-cats-sign-de-eric-norwood-to-extension-through-2016-season
http://o.canada.com/sports/hamilton-tiger-cats-sign-de-eric-norwood-to-extension-through-2016-season#commentsThu, 18 Dec 2014 18:29:06 +0000http://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=564761&preview_id=564761]]>HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed international defensive end Eric Norwood to a contract extension through the 2016 season.

Norwood finished the 2014 regular season tied for second in the CFL with a career-high 13 sacks.

He added 48 defensive tackles and two forced fumbles en route to being named an East Division all-star.

In 32 regular season games, the South Carolina product has compiled 93 defensive tackles, 17 quarterback sacks, seven tackles for a loss, and three forced fumbles with the Ticats.

“We’re excited to have Eric in Black and Gold for years to come, as he has been an integral part of our defence over the last two seasons and has shown he is one of the league’s premier pass rushers,” Ticats general manager and head coach Kent Austin said in a statement.

Norwood, originally signed with the Tiger-Cats on July 2, 2013, after previously being selected in the fourth round (124th overall) by the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/hamilton-tiger-cats-sign-de-eric-norwood-to-extension-through-2016-season/feed0Winnipeg Blue Bombers v Hamilton Tiger-CatsthecanadianpressSaskatchewan Roughriders re-sign veteran defensive end Ricky Foleyhttp://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/saskatchewan-roughriders-re-sign-veteran-defensive-end-ricky-foley
http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/saskatchewan-roughriders-re-sign-veteran-defensive-end-ricky-foley#commentsThu, 18 Dec 2014 17:54:00 +0000http://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=564682&preview_id=564682]]>REGINA — After winning a third Grey Cup ring last year, Ricky Foley seriously contemplated retirement. Instead, the 32-year-old Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end returned to the field in 2014 and had one of the best seasons of his career.

This time, he knew right away he wanted to come back.

On Thursday, the Riders signed Foley to a contract extension. With last week’s re-signing of Tearrius George and John Chick being under contract, Saskatchewan has solidified its defensive line heading into the 2015 campaign.

The Riders posted a CFL-high 61 sacks this past season.

Mike Reilly of the Edmonton Eskimos just gets the throw off before being hit by Ricky Foley of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images)

Foley said he knew “about 15 minutes” after Saskatchewan fell 18-10 to Edmonton in the West Division semifinal that he wanted to return rather than retire or become a free agent Feb. 10.

“I think collectively as soon as the season was done and we realized we were going home … the somberness turned to almost anger, like ‘Man, we could have won, we should have won, this sucks. OK we’re coming back next year,’ ” Foley said during a news conference. “I know me and T-George, we had a moment where we knew we would be better next year, and we were going to come back and do this.”

Foley, Chick and George are veteran players in their early 30s but each is still playing at a high level. Chick had a CFL-best 15 sacks, three more than George.

Foley, a six-foot-three 245-pound native of Courtice, Ont., matched a career high last season with 12 sacks while adding 54 defensive tackles. He was named the Riders’ most outstanding Canadian for the 2014 campaign but believes he can do better.

Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end Ricky Foley celebrates a sack. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

“The film doesn’t lie,” he said. “We missed a lot of sacks this year, we missed a lot of plays.

“We still finished with good numbers, but we’re still excited by what we’re capable of.”

Saskatchewan GM Brendan Taman said Foley’s extension has been in the works for some time but the team needed to clear some logistical hurdles before making it official.

“He’s a good Canadian and you want those guys around,” Taman said. “He really had a good year for us, and we’ve pretty much solidified our D-line now.”

Taman said there is still work to do on the defence. Saskatchewan needs a new defensive co-ordinator to replace Richie Hall and faces the task of re-signing hard-hitting safety Tyron Brackenridge.

Foley captured his first Grey Cup title in ’06 with B.C. before winning in ’12 with Toronto.

He said while the Roughriders might have trouble getting free agents due to perceptions of the climate, it’s tough for a player to leave Saskatchewan after suiting up there.

“The fan support here on game day is amazing,” he said. “You can’t get that anywhere else.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/saskatchewan-roughriders-re-sign-veteran-defensive-end-ricky-foley/feed0Riders Foley-022613-04.JPGthecanadianpressMike Reilly of the Edmonton Eskimos just gets the throw off before being hit by Ricky Foley of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images)Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end Ricky Foley celebrates a sack. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam RichardsCraig Reynolds to succeed Jim Hopson as Riders president and CEOhttp://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/craig-reynolds-to-succeed-jim-hopson-as-riders-president-and-ceo
http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/craig-reynolds-to-succeed-jim-hopson-as-riders-president-and-ceo#commentsWed, 17 Dec 2014 00:30:09 +0000http://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=563610&preview_id=563610]]>REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have found an in-house successor to outgoing president and chief executive officer Jim Hopson.

The CFL team announced Tuesday that chief financial officer and senior vice-president Craig Reynolds will succeed Hopson when he retires in March after 10 years at the helm.

Reynolds, 39, first joined the Roughriders as CFO in June 2009. He has helped with the team’s strategic planning, budgeting, financial reporting, treasury, human resource and stadium operations functions.

Reynolds has also worked closely with the football operations department to provide forecasting, modeling and analytics assistance to the team. He also chaired the 2013 Grey Cup operations committee and has led all aspects of the club’s involvement in the development of the new Mosaic Stadium.

Under Hopson’s tenure, the Riders reached the Grey Cup four times and won it in 2007 and 2013.

Saskatchewan finished third in the West Division last season with a 10-8 record. The Riders dropped an 18-10 decision to Edmonton in the division semifinal.

He played 179 regular-season games over his CFL career and won a Grey Cup with the Riders in 2007. The 41-year-old pivot came out of retirement last October after regular starter Darian Durant suffered an elbow injury.

Joseph, who won the league’s most outstanding player award in 2007, played parts of three seasons (2006-’07, ’14) in Saskatchewan. He also spent time with the Ottawa Renegades (2003-’05), Toronto Argonauts (2008-’09) and Edmonton Eskimos (2010-’13).

Kerry Joseph saw limited action upon his return last season as the Riders struggled in Durant’s absence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson.

Joseph’s best season in the CFL was arguably the 2005 campaign with the Renegades. That year he set career highs in passing yards (4,466), touchdowns (25) and rushing yards (1,006).

Joseph saw limited action upon his return last season as the Riders struggled in Durant’s absence. Saskatchewan finished third in the West at 10-8 and dropped an 18-10 decision to Edmonton in the division semifinal.

Over his 12-year career, Joseph completed 2,061 of 3,532 passes for 28,097 yards. He had 148 touchdown passes and 126 interceptions.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/saskatchewan-roughriders-quarterback-kerry-joseph-announces-his-retirement/feed0Rider flashbackthecanadianpressSaskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Kerry Joseph makes the throw as Ben Heenan and Edmonton Eskimos Deon Lacey battle in front. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson.CFL commissioner Mark Cohon, league board agree to his early departurehttp://o.canada.com/sports/cfl-commissioner-mark-cohon-league-board-agree-to-his-early-departure
http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl-commissioner-mark-cohon-league-board-agree-to-his-early-departure#commentsThu, 04 Dec 2014 19:12:26 +0000http://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=556384&preview_id=556384]]>TORONTO — Life after the CFL will begin in early January for Mark Cohon.

The league announced Thursday that Cohon will step down as commissioner Jan. 9 under a mutual agreement between Cohon and the league’s board of governors. Board chairman Jim Lawson will then assume the role of interim commissioner until Cohon’s replacement is found.

Lawson also heads up the committee that’s searching for Cohon’s successor. Cohon’s contract as commissioner is due to expire in April.

“Excellent candidates have come forward and while there is no firm deadline for naming the next commissioner, the process is going well,” Lawson said in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with CFL president Michael Copeland, the senior staff at the CFL league office and our clubs across the country to continue our efforts to accelerate the growth of our league and plan for the 2015 season.”

In August, Cohon announced he wouldn’t seek a contract extension to remain on the job after his current deal ended. The 48-year-old Chicago native succeeded Tom Wright as CFL commissioner in 2007 and signed a three-year contract extension in 2012.

It’s unclear if the league bought out the remainder of Cohon’s contract or will continue to pay him through completion of the deal. Cohon wasn’t available for comment Thursday.

During his final state-of-the-league address during Grey Cup week in Vancouver, Cohon said he plans to take his time finding a new job.

“One of the reasons why I decided not to seek a new term was I wanted the next challenge,” he told reporters. “I’m going to take my time, I really am going to take my time.”

Mark Cohon helped negotiate a five-year deal with TSN reportedly worth $43 million a year that was more than 2 1/2 times the previous agreement. (Julie Oliver/Postmedia News)

Cohon will leave the CFL on stable ground. It still has four years remaining on its blockbuster television deal as well as the collective bargaining agreement with its players.

In March 2013, Cohon helped negotiate a five-year deal with TSN reportedly worth $43 million a year that was more than 2 1/2 times the previous agreement. The result was increased league payments to its teams.

But the television money made for a contentious, testy negotiation with the CFL Players’ Association last spring. The players voted to go on strike and threatened to walk off the job just prior to the season before agreeing to a five-year deal at the last minute, ensuring the 2014 campaign opened on time and clubs started sharing in the extra television revenue.

The uncertainty surrounding the future of the Toronto Argonauts — the franchise continues looking for a new home with its Rogers Centre lease set to expire in ’17 — and the league’s labour strife highlighted what was a challenging final season for Cohon.

Injuries to proven offensive stars like quarterbacks Travis Lulay and Darian Durant, receivers Chad Owens and Any Fantuz as well as running backs Jon Cornish and C.J. Gable dramatically impacted the on-field product. Defences dominated as scoring and total offence were down — thanks in part to conservative offensive play — as B.C. Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian became the first pure defensive performer to capture the league’s outstanding player honour.

Off the field, attendance and the league’s TV ratings were both down in 2014.

The B.C. Lions linebacker was named to the 2014 CFL all-star team Thursday. The move was hardly a surprise, as Elimimian took home the CFL’s most outstanding player and top defensive player awards last month.

Elimimian, the first pure defensive player to win the CFL’s top individual honour, had a huge 2014 season with 143 defensive tackles and 151 total tackles, both league records, and added five sacks.

Adarius Bowman was once of seven Edmonton Eskimos named to the all-star team.

It’s the second career all-star nod for Elimimian.

The Edmonton Eskimos had the most nominations to the all-star team with seven.

Running back John White, receiver Adarius Bowman and guard Simeon Rottier were called to represent the Eskimos on the offensive side, while defensive linemen Almondo Sewell and Odell Willis, linebacker Dexter McCoil and cornerback Patrick Watkins were named from Edmonton’s defence.

The 2014 Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders had five players named to the team, led by star Canadian running back Jon Cornish.

Cornish led the league in rushing despite only playing half of the regular season.

Brandon Banks, whose electrifying returns helped Hamilton advance to the Grey Cup final, was named as the special teams player.

Ricky Ray was named the all-star team’s quarterback. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

Hamilton also sent defensive tackle Ted Laurent and cornerback Delvin Breaux to the all-star team.

Toronto’s Ricky Ray, the East Division’s nomination for most outstanding player, was named the team’s quarterback. He was joined by Argos slotback Chad Owens, named an all-star for the fourth time in his career, and Swayze Waters, selected as the team’s kicker and punter.

The Lions had one other nomination to the team, four-time all-star offensive tackle Jovan Olafioye.

Offensive guard Brendon LaBatte, defensive end John Chick and safety Tyron Brackenridge were the Saskatchewan Roughriders who made the grade.

The Montreal Alouettes were represented by receiver Duron Carter and linebacker Bear Woods.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were represented by receiver Clarence Denmark. The expansion Ottawa Redblacks did not have a player selected to the team.

Cox was the CFL’s most outstanding defensive player in 2013 and is the team’s all-time career leader with 326 defensive tackles.

“Chip Cox is a model of consistency,” general manager Jim Popp said in a release. “Never one to draw attention, he just comes to work every day as though it’s game day. Over the past six years, I do not think there has been any one player that has consistently affected the game anymore than Chip.

Montreal Alouettes’ Chip Cox, right, had 73 defensive tackles last season, including eight tackles for losses and three sacks. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

“He hasn’t missed a game, he has the uncanny ability to be a game changer at any moment. He gives you the utmost confidence that you have a chance to win when he is on the field and as effective as he is on defence, he is just as effective on special teams when asked to play.”

The 31-year-old Columbus native had 73 defensive tackles last season, including eight tackles for losses and three sacks.

Cox also scored two touchdowns in 2014. One TD came on a 24-yard interception return and the other came on a 55-yard run after a forced fumble.

“Chip has been Johnny on the Spot for years and in our eyes, is the best defensive player in the CFL,” Popp said. “He could have easily been named (most outstanding player) several times. Although Chip has already been one of the highest-paid players in the CFL, we have made sure that he gets his recognition as the highest-paid defensive player in the CFL.”

The Alouettes went 9-9 in the regular season. They dropped a 40-24 decision to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Division final.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/montreal-alouettes-re-sign-all-star-linebacker-chip-cox-to-three-year-deal/feed0DEA13 1107 Als 1303thecanadianpressOttawa Redblacks' Roy Finch gets tackled by Montreal Alouettes' Chip Cox during CFL action in Ottawa on Friday Oct 24, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean KilpatrickTelevision ratings for 2014 Grey Cup down slightly from last yearhttp://o.canada.com/sports/television-ratings-for-2014-grey-cup-down-slightly-from-last-year
http://o.canada.com/sports/television-ratings-for-2014-grey-cup-down-slightly-from-last-year#commentsMon, 01 Dec 2014 23:51:48 +0000http://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=554553&preview_id=554553]]>TORONTO — The television ratings for Sunday’s 102nd Grey Cup between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Calgary Stampeders were down slightly from last season.

An average of 4.1 million viewers tuned in to TSN to watch the Stampeders edge the Ticats 20-16, according to preliminary data from the audience measurement firm Numeris.

That was down from the 4.5 million who watched last year’s game between Hamilton and Saskatchewan.

Overall, more than 10 million Canadians tuned in for some portion of Sunday’s game, 1.5 million fewer than last season.

Audience levels peaked at 5.1 million — 400,000 fewer than 2013 — late in the game as Hamilton mounted a fourth-quarter comeback that stalled when Brandon Banks’ touchdown return was nullified due to a penalty.

The Grey Cup record average of 6.1 million viewers was set in 2009 when the Montreal Alouettes defeated Saskatchewan 28-27. That game was played shortly after the introduction of a new ratings measurement system that has seen sports TV ratings skyrocket.

CALGARY — The Grey Cup arrived in Calgary in one piece. It was the Stampeders who looked worse for wear.

Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell’s eyes were half-open and the voice of head coach and general manager John Hufnagel cracked as players and coaches rolled off a pair of buses at McMahon Stadium on Monday just past noon.

The Stampeders had claimed the 102nd Grey Cup less than 24 hours earlier in Vancouver, where Calgary defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20-16 at B.C. Place.

The team flew in the morning via charter from the West Coast to frosty Calgary, where they were greeted by fans, including one dressed as Santa Claus, and their snow-covered cars in McMahon’s parking lot.

The historic silver trophy that had separated into two pieces during post-game celebrations was intact again and hoisted repeatedly. The cup was back on its base and the players were hazy on the details of its reassembly.

Slot Back Nik Lewis plans on celebrating for days as the Grey Cup-champion Stampeders returned to Calgary after winning the 102nd Grey Cup. (Lorraine Hjalte/Calgary Herald)

“How did we fix it? I have no idea how they fixed that,” said Mitchell, the Grey Cup’s MVP. “They had some tape on it at first. I don’t even know what happened to it. Hey, it’s a hundred years old right?”

The City of Calgary will host a downtown celebration for the Stampeders on Tuesday.

The Stampeders have compiled the CFL’s best regular-season record over their seven seasons under Hufnagel at 88-37-1. Calgary has posted the best single-season record in the CFL, or tied for it, five times.

That hasn’t often translated into playoff success. Calgary won a Grey Cup in Hufnagel’s first year at the helm in 2008, but after that the Stampeders were defeated Saskatchewan in three division finals (2009, 2010, 2013). The Stampeders also lost the 2012 Grey Cup to the host Toronto Argonauts.

Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell lifts the cup as the Grey Cup-champion Stampeders returned to Calgary after winning the 102nd Grey Cup.(Lorraine Hjalte/Calgary Herald)

“I’ve only had one other Grey Cup win as the head coach,” Hufnagel told assembled media. “This is for the players. They went through way too much stuff from you guys, believe me, from you guys. I’m very pleased they were able to exorcise all that.

“It was an exciting day, an exciting night. You cannot understand how pleased I am for the players.”

The Stampeders went 15-3 in the regular season to match a franchise record. Calgary downed the Edmonton Eskimos 43-18 in the West final to advance to this year’s Grey Cup.

“It’s a satisfying feeling putting all that work in for six months in the off-season and five months during the season,” Mitchell said. “Hopefully it’s the first chapter in a very long book. That’s what I’m really hoping.”

The quarterback estimated he’d slept half an hour since winning the Grey Cup, linebacker Juwan Simpson said an hour and running back Jon Cornish managed about 90 minutes. Most of that shut-eye was on the flight back to Calgary.

“Once the plane landed, guys got right back energized,” Simpson said. “I expect it will be an interesting few weeks in Calgary.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/stampeders-land-in-calgary-short-on-sleep-with-reassembled-grey-cup/feed0McMahonthecanadianpressSlot Back Nik Lewis plans on celebrating for days as the Grey Cup-champion Stampeders returned to Calgary after winning the 102nd Grey Cup. (Lorraine Hjalte/Calgary Herald)Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell lifts the cup as the Grey Cup-champion Stampeders returned to Calgary after winning the 102nd Grey Cup.(Lorraine Hjalte/Calgary Herald)Future looks bright for young Hamilton Tiger-Cats despite agonizing Grey Cup losshttp://o.canada.com/sports/future-looks-bright-for-young-hamilton-tiger-cats-despite-agonizing-grey-cup-loss
http://o.canada.com/sports/future-looks-bright-for-young-hamilton-tiger-cats-despite-agonizing-grey-cup-loss#commentsMon, 01 Dec 2014 18:17:04 +0000http://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=554145&preview_id=554145]]>VANCOUVER — The pain of Sunday’s Grey Cup loss will be hard to shed for Hamilton, which just missed out on being the CFL’s team of destiny this season. But the future is bright for the young Tiger-Cats.

A team that opened the regular season 1-6 before finishing it on an 8-3 run came agonizingly close to a comeback win over the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL championship game.

“I just told them how proud I was of turning the season around,” head coach Kent Austin said of his post-game speech. “We’ve got a good young football team.

“Sometimes things don’t work out. Welcome to the game of life. It’s not always going to go our way. That’s the way it is sometimes. But it doesn’t take away what they accomplished this year. It doesn’t take away how hard these guys played, how close they were as a football team and what a great future we have in front of us.”

Austin, who doubles as coach and GM, will look to refine his roster after the heartbreaking 20-16 loss to the Stampeders at B.C. Place Stadium. There were changes after last year’s 45-23 Grey Cup defeat at the hands of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but more are needed.

“We’ve been in two Grey Cups, we haven’t won them. We need to get better,” he said.

Kick returner Brandon Banks, whose potential 90-yard winning punt return for a TD with 35 seconds left was negated by a penalty, is a free agent. A game-changer, the five-foot-seven 149-pounder amazingly ran punts back for four touchdowns — two of which were called back due to penalties — in two playoff games.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Brandon Banks reacts after his touchdown was called back late in the game against the Calgary Stampeders. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Austin will likely want to strengthen a secondary that was exposed at times in the playoffs and ranked eighth in the league in passing yards allowed per game (260) in the regular season. And the Hamilton offensive line ranked eighth in the league in sacks allowed.

The Tiger-Cats ranked ninth in the league in taking advantage of forays into the red zone. Over the final eight games of the regular season, Hamilton converted just eight of its last 22 red zone chances into touchdowns. For the season, its red zone TD percentage was 40 per cent, compared to No. 1 Calgary at 77 per cent.

Hamilton had to settle for three field goals in the second half during its comeback bid against the Stamps.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Zach Collaros has strong mobility, which was on display against the Stampeders. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Ticats were 1-4 without Collaros, a third-year pro who helped the Ticats claw their way back in the second half Sunday. He used his mobility to escape a fierce Stampeder rush, digging deep into his bag of tricks to keep the play alive.

“That’s Zach,” said Austin. “He’s an unbelievable competitor. He’s got that in spades.

“His best football is still way in front of him. He’s going to get a lot better as he plays and grows as a quarterback.”

On the plus side, the Hamilton defence led the league in fewest rushing yards allowed per game (77). And thanks to Banks, the Ticats were No. 1 in punt return average.

Austin will also look to retain the band of brothers feel to his locker-room. This is a team that genuinely cares about each other.

And Hamilton can look forward to a full season in its new home at Tim Hortons Field, where it went 6-0 during the regular season and 1-0 in the playoffs.

It is a reference to Hamilton losing the last two Grey Cup finals to the Calgary Stampeders this time and the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2013.

Yipes. But I guess Ticats fans can take solace that at least the team made the playoffs this season, which is more than fans of the Argonauts can say, after the team finished 8-10 and out of the post-season.

It should have been obvious that the Argos were rooting for the western squad before the game began, as they confirmed on Instagram.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/toronto-argonauts-pile-onto-hamilton-tiger-cats-after-grey-cup-loss/feed0argotweetjohndujayToronto Argonauts quarterback Ricky Ray tries to get a pass away as he's sacked by Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive end Eric Norwood. (Frank Gunn/THE CANADIAN PRESS)WATCH: Calgary Stampeders toast Grey Cup win – with the cup!http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/watch-calgary-stampeders-toast-grey-cup-win-with-the-cup
http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/watch-calgary-stampeders-toast-grey-cup-win-with-the-cup#commentsMon, 01 Dec 2014 12:54:26 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=553842]]>The best part of winning any championship in pro-sports is earning the right to drink from the championship cup in question, right?

Well, the Calgary Stampeders did just that last night, winning the 102nd Grey Cup. Watch the players celebrate their win and even ride a horse into the middle of the field to mark their victory — and, of course, fill the Cup up with brews and bubbles.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/watch-calgary-stampeders-toast-grey-cup-win-with-the-cup/feed2FBO CFL Grey Cup 201411130postmedianews1Why the Stampeders won the Grey Cuphttp://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/why-the-stampeders-won-the-grey-cup
http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/why-the-stampeders-won-the-grey-cup#commentsMon, 01 Dec 2014 12:40:45 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=553839]]>It was a tight game, and the Calgary Stampeders won Sundays’ Grey Cup by just four points over the Hamilton Tiger Cats. The final score was 20-16.

So what happened? Why did the Ti-Cats lose the top prize in the CFL for the second year in a row? Did the late penalty call provide a microcosm for the entire season?

The Vancouver Sun’s Mike Beamish and The Province’s Lowell Ullrich explain what happened in a post-game analysis.

Calgary linebacker Juwan Simpson hoisted the Grey Cup above his head to celebrate Calgary’s 20-16 victory over Hamilton on Sunday when the cup section of the trophy started to split from its base.

“I think I’m the one that did it,” said Simpson. “I don’t know. I grabbed it and was excited, and all of a sudden, it got a little (loose.) Some glue and some duct tape and it’ll be good.

“I don’t know if I was holding it (when it broke) or I was holding it before it went off, but I felt it weaken in my hands — and I politely gave it to somebody else.”

The top of Grey Cup trophy comes loose as Calgary Stampeders’ linebacker Juwan Simpson hoists it after defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to win the CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Simpson said he hopes the CFL does not send him a bill for the mishap.

“But I got me a Grey Cup cheque,” he said. “In a worst-case scenario, I can pay for it.”

It’s the sixth time the CFL championship trophy has been broken during Grey Cup celebrations.

Three times the Edmonton Eskimos have damaged the statue. An Edmonton player accidentally dropped it in 1978, then an Eskimos player sat on it in 1987. In 1993, Edmonton offensive lineman Blake Dermott headbutted it.

Calgary Stampeders offensive lineman Dan Federkeil holds the Grey Cup trophy after it broke into two pieces after defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to win the CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

The B.C. Lions damaged the Grey Cup in 1996 when the trophy broke away from its base.

Most recently, one of the handles of the Cup broke off as the Toronto Argonauts were celebrating their 2012 championship — the trophy’s 100th anniversary.

It also survived a fire in 1947 when the Toronto Argonauts rowing club — the reigning champions — saw their clubhouse destroyed.

Calgary Stampeders running back Matt Walter, right, celebrates his teams win with a broken Grey Cup following the 102nd Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell said he saw the top of the trophy break off, but he wasn’t too concerned about it.

“We won a Grey Cup, man — that’s all that matters,” said Mitchell.

The mishap with the trophy was news to Stamps general manager and coach John Hufnagel.

Mitchell threw for 334 yards as Calgary held on for a thrilling 20-16 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at B.C. Place. The six-foot-two, 196-pound Texan was calm and precise on the field, completing 25-of-34 passes in his first career Grey Cup start. He was named the game’s outstanding player.

At one point, Mitchell threw 10 straight completions, tying him for the third-longest streak in Grey Cup history before a boisterous B.C. Place Stadium gathering of 52,056 — 1,423 short of a sellout.

But the West Division champions needed two late defensive stands and some luck to secure the victory.

“We had faith in the quarterback. We had faith in the receivers. We had the faith in the defence,” said Stampeders offensive lineman Dan Federkeil

A Delvin Breaux interception of Mitchell put Hamilton at the Calgary 50-yard line. Quarterback Zach Collaros marched the offence to the three-yard line before the Stampeders’ defence stiffened, resulting in Justin Medlock’s 17-yard field goal at 9:25 of the fourth quarter to pull to within 20-13.

Hamilton regained possession at its 41-yard line with under four minutes remaining and marched to the Calgary 23. Cory Mace’s sack stalled the drive and set up Medlock’s 37-yard field goal to cut the Stampeders’ lead to 20-16 with just over two minutes remaining.

Brandon Banks brought Ticats supporters to their feet with 35 seconds left when he returned a Rene Paredes punt 90 yards for a TD, but it was nullified by an illegal block penalty. Instead of having the lead, Hamilton took over at its 12-yard line.

After the game, Banks stormed out of the Ticats’ locker-room before the media were allowed in. When a reporter tried to speak to him he kept walking but turned around to say “I ain’t talking to nobody.”

Hamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Brandon Banks reacts after a touchdown against the Calgary Stampeders was called back during the fourth quarter of the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Calgary earned its third straight win this season over Hamilton, which after a 1-6 start to the season rallied to a 9-9 mark to finish atop the East Division.

Paredes had to handle punting duties in the second half after incumbent Rob Maver suffered an abdominal injury after being hammered on a Hamilton punt return. The six-foot, 201-pound Maver was hit from the blindside by Justin Hickman, a six-foot-two, 265-pound defensive lineman, and remained on the field for some time before eventually walking off on his own.

Paredes said he withdrew from his teammates during the game so he could concentrate.

“I wasn’t nervous,” said Paredes. “I was just trying to stay focused and stay calm.”

Calgary Stampeders Matt Walter, right tries to leap over Hamilton Tiger-Cats Mike Daly, left during the first half of the CFL’s 2014 Grey Cup Championship game. (Ric Ernst / PNG)

Calgary also lost receiver Maurice Price to an ankle injury in the second half.

Calgary earned its second Grey Cup win since ’08 when John Hufnagel was named head coach/GM.

The iconic trophy appeared to suffer some damage as the Stampeders celebrated on the field, with the top portion coming loose from the base.

Hamilton’s Grey Cup drought continues with their last CFL championship coming in Vancouver in ’99 when they beat the Stampeders 32-21.

Members of the Calgary Stampeders check out the Grey Cup after it broke as they celebrated their win against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Ticats receiver Andy Fantuz was named the oustanding Canadian after making six catches for 81 yards.

“We’re just going to have to get back to the drawing board and remember this for next year,” said Fantuz.

It’s also the second straight Grey Cup loss for the Ticats, who lost 45-23 last year in Regina to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Backup quarterback Drew Tate had two TDs for Calgary. Paredes added the converts and two field goals.

Banks scored Hamilton’s touchdown. Medlock booted the convert and two field goals.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats Nic Grigsby, centre is tackled by Calgary Stampeders Brandon Smith, left and Fred Bennett, right during the first half of the CFL’s 2014 Grey Cup Championship game. (Ric Ernst / PNG)

A blocked field goal by Calgary’s Demonte Bolden loomed large in Calgary taking a 17-7 halftime lead. The burly defensive lineman, in his first game since breaking his leg in September, batted down Medlock’s 26-yard try with the Stampeders leading 14-0.

The six-foot-five, 285-pound Bolden began his CFL career in Hamilton, playing two seasons there (’09-’10) before joining the Stampeders in 2012.

Mitchell countered by marching Calgary 87 yards on eight plays, setting up Paredes’ 11-yard field goal at 12:43. But Collaros countered smartly, hitting Banks on a 45-yard TD pass at 13:39 to make it a 10-point game.

Mitchell was a one-man show in the first half, hitting 14-of-17 passes for 220 of Calgary’s 232 net yards. Despite Hamilton’s terrible start, Collaros completed 9-of-13 attempts for 155 yards and a TD, accounting most of the Ticats’ 185 first-half offensive yards.

It was a dreadful opening quarter for Hamilton, which posted -12 yards rushing and just four net yards. Calgary had 120 net yards, thanks to Mitchell’s 117 passing yards.

Tate’s one-yard TD run 48 seconds into the second capped a 10-play, 66-yard drive and came after Hamilton’s Brandon Stewart was called for pass interference in the end zone. Tate opened the scoring at 9:48 of the first with a one-yard touchdown that ended a five-play, 55-yard march.

Members of the Stampeders receive $16,000 for the win while the Ticats earn $8,000 apiece.

NOTES — Receiver Joe West and offensive lineman Edwin Harrison didn’t dress for Calgary. Linebacker Frederic Plesius and offensive lineman Marc Dile were Hamilton’s scratches . . . Sunday’s game was the first Grey Cup where coaches could challenge defensive pass interference. There were 55 challenges this season, with 17 resulting in overturn plays . . . Of the 43 Canadians who were on Hamilton’s and Calgary’s rosters last weekend, 84 per cent were original draft picks. Four more Stampeders were signed as undrafted free agents . . . The contest was extra special for one lucky person as the 50-50 draw exceeded $192,000.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/stampeders-tiger-cats-102nd-grey-cup/feed0FBO CFL Grey Cup 201411130thecanadianpressHamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Brandon Banks reacts after a touchdown against the Calgary Stampeders was called back during the fourth quarter of the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckCalgary Stampeders Matt Walter, right tries to leap over Hamilton Tiger-Cats Mike Daly, left during the first half of the CFL's 2014 Grey Cup Championship game. (Ric Ernst / PNG)Members of the Calgary Stampeders check out the Grey Cup after it broke as they celebrated their win against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteHamilton Tiger-Cats Nic Grigsby, centre is tackled by Calgary Stampeders Brandon Smith, left and Fred Bennett, right during the first half of the CFL's 2014 Grey Cup Championship game. (Ric Ernst / PNG)Calgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell runs for a first down as Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive tackle Linden Gaydosh and linebacker Taylor Reed look on. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteGrey Cup Gallery: Calgary Stampeders vs. Hamilton Tiger-Catshttp://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/grey-cup-gallery-calgary-stampders-vs-hamilton-tiger-cats
http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/grey-cup-gallery-calgary-stampders-vs-hamilton-tiger-cats#commentsMon, 01 Dec 2014 00:11:49 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=553668]]>Images from the 102nd Grey Cup in Vancouver, B.C. between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats fan Wayne Bolzke, of Niagara Falls, Ont., cheers on his team before the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats play in the Grey Cup CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Football fans are seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

A Hamilton Tiger-Cats fan carries a flag outside B.C. Place before the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats play in the Grey Cup CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Football fans are seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Calgary Stampeders fan Ted Benoit, of Vancouver, wears a horse mask as he walks past a photo of Stampeders’ running back Jon Cornish before the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats play in the Grey Cup CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Football fans are seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Calgary Stampeders fans cheer on their team outside B.C. Place stadium before the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats play in the Grey Cup CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Football fans are seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

A football fan is pictured prior to the start of the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Football fans are seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

A football fan is seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

A football fan is picture prior to the start of the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

The top of Grey Cup trophy comes loose as Calgary Stampeders’ linebacker Juwan Simpson hoists it after defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to win the CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Members of the Calgary Stampeders check out the Grey Cup after it broke as they celebrated their win against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/cfl/grey-cup-gallery-calgary-stampders-vs-hamilton-tiger-cats/feed5FBO CFL Grey Cup 201411130thecanadadotcomHamilton Tiger-Cats fan Wayne Bolzke, of Niagara Falls, Ont., cheers on his team before the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats play in the Grey Cup CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckFootball fans are seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteA Hamilton Tiger-Cats fan carries a flag outside B.C. Place before the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats play in the Grey Cup CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckFootball fans are seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteCalgary Stampeders fan Ted Benoit, of Vancouver, wears a horse mask as he walks past a photo of Stampeders' running back Jon Cornish before the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats play in the Grey Cup CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckFootball fans are seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteCalgary Stampeders fans cheer on their team outside B.C. Place stadium before the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats play in the Grey Cup CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckFootball fans are seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteA football fan is pictured prior to the start of the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonFootball fans are seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteA football fan is seen prior to the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteA football fan is picture prior to the start of the 102nd Grey Cup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonSeattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wiliams, centre, greets Hamilton Tiger-Cats' wide receiver Brandon Banks and wide receiver Terrell Sinkfield prior to the 102nd Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteThe Calgary Stampeders run onto the field prior to the 102nd Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonCalgary Stampeders' quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell waits to be introduced prior to the 102nd Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonHamilton Tiger-Cats' defensive back Courtney Stephen runs onto the field prior to the 102nd Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonThe Hamilton Tiger-Cats make their way onto the field prior to the 102nd Grey Cup against the Calgary Stampeders. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonHamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Brandon Banks makes his way on to the field during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteThe Calgary Stampeders makes their way onto the field during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteCFL commissioner Mark Cohon carries the Grey Cup during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonCalgary Stampeders running back Jon Cornish makes his way onto the field for the 102nd Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonCalgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell prepares to throw during the 102nd Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteHamilton Tiger-Cats' linebacker Taylor Reed tackles Calgary Stampeders' running back Jon Cornish during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckCalgary Stampeders linebacker Deron Mayo tackles Hamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Terrell Sinkfield during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonCalgary Stampeders wide receiver Sederrik Cunningham drops the ball during a punt return during the 102nd Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckCalgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell throws the ball as Hamilton Tiger-Cats' defensive tackle Ted Laurent looks on. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteCalgary Stampeders defensive back Buddy Jackson misses a pass as Hamilton Tiger-Cats' wide receiver Terrell Sinkfield tries to catch up to him. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteHamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Zach Collaros prepares to throw the ball during the 102nd Grey Cup against the Calgary Stampeders. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckCalgary Stampeders defensive back Brandon Smith tackles Hamilton Tiger-Cats' running back Nic Grigsby during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteHamilton Tiger-Cats defensive back Brandon Stewart tackles Calgary Stampeders wide receiver Maurice Price during the first half of the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteCalgary Stampeders Matt Walter, right tries to leap over Hamilton Tiger-Cats Mike Daly, left during the first half of the CFL's 2014 Grey Cup Championship game. (Ric Ernst / PNG)Hamilton Tiger-Cats #28 Craig Butler (top) and #0 Rico Murray take down Calgary Stampeders Simon Charbonneau-Campeau during 2014 CFL Grey Cup Final. (Arlen Redekop photo / PNG staff)Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs during the half time show of the 102nd Grey Cup in Vancouver, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckImagine Dragons perform during the half time show of the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckCalgary Stampeders linebacker Karl McCartney, defensive back Adam Berger and linebacker Keenan MacDougall tackle Hamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Brandon Banks during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteThe Calgary Stampeders cheer leaders dance during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckCalgary Stampeders slotback Marquay McDaniel gets tackled by Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive back Delvin Breaux and linebacker Simoni Lawrence during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckCalgary Stampeders Juwan Simpson and Hamilton Tiger-Cats Luke Tasker battle for a fumbled ball during 2014 CFL Grey Cup Final. (Arlen Redekop photo / PNG staff)Hamilton Tiger-Cats Nic Grigsby, centre is tackled by Calgary Stampeders Brandon Smith, left and Fred Bennett, right during the first half of the CFL's 2014 Grey Cup Championship game. (Ric Ernst / PNG)Calgary Stampeders wide receiver Eric Rogers makes a catch as Hamilton Tiger-Cats linebacker Rico Murray looks on during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonCalgary Stampeders wide receiver Sederrik Cunningham celebrates a incomplete pass during the 102nd Grey Cup against the Hamiton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteHamilton Tiger-Cats head coach Kent Austin pauses for a moment during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonCalgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell runs for a first down as Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive tackle Linden Gaydosh and linebacker Taylor Reed look on. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteCalgary Stampeders punter Rob Maver reacts to taking a hit during the 102nd Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckHamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Brandon Banks reacts after a touchdown against the Calgary Stampeders was called back during the fourth quarter of the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckCalgary Stampeders defensive back Keon Raymond celebrates his teams win against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats during the 102nd Grey Cup in Vancouver, B.C. Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteCFL Commissioner Mark Cohon, left, presents the MVP award to Calgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell after defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonCalgary Stampeders defensive lineman Shawn Lemon and defensive lineman Corey Mace celebrate with teammates after defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonThe top of Grey Cup trophy comes loose as Calgary Stampeders' linebacker Juwan Simpson hoists it after defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to win the CFL championship game. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul ChiassonMembers of the Calgary Stampeders check out the Grey Cup after it broke as they celebrated their win against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats during the 102nd Grey Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteHamilton QB Collaros ready to take centre stage at Grey Cuphttp://o.canada.com/sports/hamilton-qb-collaros-ready-to-take-centre-stage-at-grey-cup
http://o.canada.com/sports/hamilton-qb-collaros-ready-to-take-centre-stage-at-grey-cup#commentsSun, 30 Nov 2014 04:46:36 +0000http://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=553484&preview_id=553484]]>VANCOUVER — Ask Zach Collaros’ teammates about him and most immediately point to how competitive the Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback is.

It’s been like that for about as long as the 26-year-old Ohio native can remember.

“My mom and dad have got some stories about that,” Collaros said with a wry smile. “It was always bad at family reunions. We’d go to St. Louis, for my mom’s side of the family, and we’d be playing a softball game. I’d be like seven years old treating it like it’s the World Series. You’ve got 80-year-old grandmothers out there playing.

“Everyone hated me for it, but it’s gotten me to where I am so far. It’s been good for me.”

Listed at six foot and 216 pounds, Zach Collaros is anything but prototypical NFL quarterback size. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Off the field, the clean-cut Collaros looks anything but a wild man. He is quiet, polite and respectful.

But he is different behind centre.

“Zach Collaros is a beast,” said Ticats cornerback Delvin Breaux. “When I saw him play at Toronto last year, I was like that guy’s very competitive. He can play. That’s who we need at the helm of a team. You need that quarterback that’s going to have that competitive nature and the will to win. That’s who Zach Collaros is. He’s a great competitor.”

Collaros and Calgary counterpart Bo Levi Mitchell, another relative newcomer, will share the spotlight Sunday in the 102nd Grey Cup.

In his third year in the CFL, Collaros has found a home in Hamilton after two years in the shadow of Toronto star Ricky Ray.

“He’s a proven winner at every level, from high school through college,” Austin said of Collaros. “He got put on the road in a tough situation before we got him, the year before, when he was in Toronto, and won some tough games on the road. I know because we were trying to catch Toronto in the standings, and we couldn’t.”

Collaros went 41-1 in three years as starting quarterback at Ohio’s Steubenville High School, posting a 30-0 record the final two years en route to back-to-back state titles.

At the University of Cincinnati, he completed 485 of 783 passes for 6,272 yards and 51 touchdowns. He also rushed 268 times for 1,240 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Listed at six foot and 216 pounds, Collaros is anything but prototypical NFL quarterback size.

He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but was released a week later after mini-camp.

“The difficult thing was up until that point I had never been told I wasn’t good enough to be somewhere — athletically,” said Collaros.

A month later, he signed as a free agent with the Argonauts.

He dressed for four regular-season games and won a Grey Cup ring in April 2012 but failed to see the field as the Argos downed Calgary in what was Ray’s hometown show.

“It’s at home so I haven’t looked at it,” Collaros said of his ring.

In 2013, he went 5-3 as starter when Ray went down, leading Toronto to four crucial road wins.

Collaros joined the Ticats as a free agent in January after the Argos, realizing he did not plan to re-sign, released him. He is generous in his praise to Ray and Toronto coach Scott Milanovich.

“I learned a lot about football from both of them,” he said.

Collaros, who moved his home “a couple of kilometres down the road” after the move, admits being able to stay close to his family in Ohio played a big part in his choice of Steeltown.

“I’m a very family-oriented guy. I love my hometown,” he said. “I love my family and friends that are back there .. Having my parents be able to come to the games was huge for me.”

It has not all been smooth sailing this year.

He was hurt in the Ticats’ fourth game of the season, a 28-24 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos on July 4. Collaros missed five games with concussion-related problems, with the Ticats going 1-4 in his absence.

“It was definitely hard to stay positive,” he said of his time on the sideline. “There were some tough times, but the training staff did a great job with me.”

His teammates and coaches told him to take his time coming back. Collaros is particularly indebted to Austin.

“He understood the injury, how serious it can be,” he said.

Austin also told him that no matter what happened, Collaros was his quarterback.

“He was very patient with the whole thing and very supportive. And I appreciate that and he knows that i appreciate that.”

Collaros’ return was more than timely. Hamilton was 1-6 going into its Labour Day debut at Tom Hortons Field.

With a healthy Collaros at the helm, the Cats went on to win eight of the next 11 including all six games at their new stadium to finish the season at 9-9.

Collaros is meticulous in his pre-game work. It is his safety blanket.

“As long as I do my due diligence during the week and I’m prepared for the game, usually that leads to good things,” he said.

Added Austin: “(He) prepares really hard. He’s very, very unselfish. He’s endearing to his teammates. The guys don’t ever question whether Zach will come to play and be prepared to play.”

Collaros completed 279 of 424 passes for 3,26 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. He also rushed 57 times for 328 yards.

The Calgary Stampeders’ towering six-foot-five, 285-pound defensive tackle admits he broke down a little bit after being told he’ll start Sunday in the Grey Cup game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at B.C. Place Stadium. The 29-year-old hasn’t played since suffering a broken leg in a 40-33 home win over Toronto on Sept. 13, a span of eight games.

It’s been a long road back for Bolden, who auditioned this week with Frank Beltre, Freddie Bishop and Brandon Jordan for starting spots created by injuries to Charleston Hughes and DeQuin Evans. Bishop drew the starting defensive end position.

“It really sunk in this morning when I was told,” Bolden said following Calgary’s final walkthrough at B.C. Place. “I was literally in tears because this opportunity doesn’t come around often.

“Physically it was trying (coming back) but mentally it was more difficult. I’m an interior D-linemen and we do a lot of knocking around and banging. Obviously I don’t want a big 320-pound offensive linemen falling on my leg again and I had to get past the mental part. But I’m excited.”

It was hard to see that in Bolden’s demeanour as he sported a perfect poker face.

“Trust me, I’m very excited,” he said in an emphatic, slightly intimidating tone. “I’ve been out for a while, I am very very excited.”

The same applied to Bishop, a six-foot-four, 265-pound native of Inkster, Mich., completing his second CFL season.

“My father always told me a real man doesn’t feel pressure, he applies it,” he said. “I live my life that way and at the end of the day it’s just football.”

Calgary coach/GM John Hufnagel said he’s expecting big things from both Bolden and Bishop.

“They’ve played good football this year and helped us win games,” he said. “Injuries are part of the game . . . unfortunately we lost two soldiers last week.”

Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ head coach Kent Austin. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Bolden returns to B.C. Place, where his 2013 season ended on a sour note as he suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in Calgary’s regular-season finale visiting the Lions. Bolden said he continued lifting weights while his leg healed and he enters Sunday’s contest very fresh and with no lingering apprehension.

“I’ve been banging with the best offensive linemen in the CFL,” he said. “That’s a test in its own right and I feel like I passed it.”

The contest features the two division winners as Calgary topped the West with a CFL-best 15-3 record that included two victories over Hamilton. The Ticats finished tied with Montreal atop the East with a 9-9 mark but secured first based upon point differential.

The Winnipeg Bluebombers cheerleaders. (Gavin Young/Calgary Herald)

Hamilton goes with the same roster it had in last weekend’s 40-24 East Division final win over Montreal. Slotback Andy Fantuz, who played against the Als after missing three games with a torn hamstring, starts again Sunday.

Brandon Banks was a one-man show against Montreal, returning two punts for TDs and accumulating a playoff-record 226 return yards. But that means little to Jeff Reinebold, Hamilton’s veteran special-teams coach.

“What you recognize really as you get to this point where you’ve got enough grey in your beard is that last week doesn’t buy you anything this week,” he said. “I’m trying to get that message to our players Â­that when we line up against Calgary on Sunday and it’s the first punt return, whatever you’ve done in the past doesn’t affect anything right now.

“It’s right now, this moment, this play, And whether it goes good or bad for you, you have to put it away and go on to the next one. That sounds trite and cliched but it’s the reality of the business.”

Calgary was 2-0 against Hamilton this year but those wins came by a combined 13 points. However both teams were missing key performers.

CFL rushing leader Jon Cornish didn’t play either game against Hamilton while the Ticats were also minus starting quarterback Zach Collaros.

Hamilton is making a second straight Grey Cup appearance after losing last year 45-23 to Saskatchewan at Mosaic Stadium. The Ticats last won a CFL title in ’99, beating Calgary at B.C. Place.

The Stampeders are chasing their second CFL crown since ’08, John Hufnagel’s first year as head coach/GM. Calgary reached the ’12 final but lost to Toronto at Rogers Centre in the 100th Grey Cup game.

Calgary would appear to have a huge edge on Hamilton given it was CFL-best 8-1 on the road this year. The Ticats were just 2-7 away from home and 4-6 versus West Division competition while Calgary was a dominant 7-1 against East clubs.

Despite a matchup of first-place teams, the game wasn’t yet a sellout as of Saturday. While over 51,000 tickets had been sold, roughly 2,000 remained.

A reason for that could be fan apathy. This marks the second Grey Cup game in B.C. since 2011 and the hometown Lions were eliminated in the East Division semifinal 50-17 by Montreal.

The Grammy Award-winning Imagine Dragons perform at halftime. The alternative rock band from Las Vegas released its debut album “Night Visions” in 2012 that was certified three times platinum in Canada. The single “Radioactive” went platinum seven times while followup “Demons” was platinum five times over.

Snow fell here Friday night but weather won’t be a factor Sunday as B.C. Place’s roof will be closed.

The night before a big game is traditionally a sleepless one for many athletes but Bolden said he won’t have any problems sleeping. And he’s expecting to be tucked in early.

“I’ll probably go to sleep around 7-8 p.m. because I want to be ready,” he said. “I don’t know about my teammates but I suspect the vets will be sleeping early and I suspect the players who want it will be in sleeping early.”

Bishop plans to spend Saturday night with his girlfriend and family, who arrived from Detroit on Saturday. But he’s also expecting to have an early night.

“Oh man, it has to be an early night,” he said. “I’ve got an early morning and a big day.”